[Goanet] Disjointed government.

[Averthan D'Souza]

Dear Editor,

           The newspapers inform us that the Director of Tourism has 
submitted an Affidavit to the High Court of Bombay at Goa in which he has 
averred that "he has not been receiving cooperation from other departments 
in taking action against illegal shacks. They have no problem in getting 
electricity connection and permission to serve liquour even when Tourism 
Department raises objection.  Shacks can't serve food without permission 
from FDA but there's no action when a shack operates illegally."   If this 
information is accurate, it exposes a very serious malfunction in the Goa 
Government.    It confirms the apprehension which citizens have had for a 
long time, that each Department of the Government functions independently of 
every other Department.  For the Tourism Department to publicly acknowledge 
this in an Affidavit is sufficient  proof of this.   What is extremely 
disturbing is the fact that not only is there no coordination among the 
different Departments, but that they actually work at cross purposes with 
one another.

           It is a sure sign of disintegration  of government, when a 
Department has to appeal to the High Court to bring about coordination among 
the different Departments.  What is the Chief Minister doing?  Is there no 
Cabinet which functions as the coordinating centre?

           We have known for a long time that each Minister functions as a 
feudal lord who is supreme in his own Department.   There have been too many 
instances  in which one Minister has actually undermined the efforts of 
another because he considered the project an 'intrusion' into 'his' 
constituency.

          The result of such disjointed governance is quite obvious to the 
citizens -  that one Minister works to undermine the works of another, 
resulting in confusion and utter unplanned development.   The supposedly 
"Cabinet" form of government is a myth:  it simply does not exist.   This is 
a serious failure of both the Congress as well as the BJP governments. 
Coalition governments have made coordinated administration even more 
difficult.

          The only sign of hope on this dismal horizon is the grassroots 
movements in the local Panchayats and Gram Sabhas which are beginning to 
gain momentum.


Yours truly,
Averthanus L. D'Souza,